Download GroupEZ Manual v2.22 (PDF File)

GroupEZ
User’s Manual
Version 2.22
October 18, 2004
Copyright 2003, 2004 Kanga Investments
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. VERSIONS AVAILABLE
1
2. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
1
3. INSTALLATION
2
4. REGISTERING YOUR PROGRAM
3
5. WARRANTIES BY KANGA INVESTMENTS
4
6. TECHNICAL SUPPORT
5
7. OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM
6
8. GETTING STARTED
7
9. CREATE NEW GROUP TRAVEL PROGRAM
10
10. OPEN GROUP TRAVEL PROGRAM
15
11. UPDATE ROOM BLOCK
17
12. ACTIVITIES
19
13. AUTOMATICS
20
14. AIR ITINERARIES
21
15. INDIVIDUALS
22
16. BOOKING ACTIVITIES
28
17. BOOKING AIR ITINERARIES
30
18. REPORTS
32
19. FILE MAINTENANCE
40
20. NETWORK CONSIDERATIONS
42
21. HELP
43
APPENDICES
A. UPDATE NOTES
B. REGISTRATION
C. DATABASE FILE STRUCTURES
44
47
48
1. VERSIONS AVAILABLE
GroupEZ is available in three versions:
• GroupEZ Professional: single user, unlimited open programs
• GroupEZ Lite: single user, only one program in system at a
time
• GroupEZ Network Professional: unlimited users, unlimited
open programs
A fourth version, GroupEZ Professional for the Web, will be
available soon.
2. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Single User Versions
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pentium or higher PC
At least 64 megabytes of memory
Microsoft Windows 98 or higher
CD-ROM or DVD drive for install
A minimum of 20 MB of free hard disk space
Printer
Network Version
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pentium or higher PC for workstations
Windows NT or 2000 network server
At least 64 megabytes of memory on workstations
Microsoft Windows 98 or higher on workstations
CD-ROM or DVD drive for install on workstations
A minimum of 20 MB of free hard disk space on workstations
Printer
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3. INSTALLATION
The install program will not change any system files. To install:
CD-ROM Version
1. Exit all other programs.
2. Insert the GroupEZ CD-ROM into your CD drive.
3. Start the setup program SETUP.EXE.
4. When asked, tell the setup program which directory name to
use to store the program and data files.
5. When installed, the program can be started from the GroupEZ
icon on the desktop or the GroupEZ Program selection in the
Start Menu.
Downloaded Version
1. Download the file GroupEZSetup.exe from the Internet. Store it
in a temporary directory of your choice.
2. Exit all other programs.
3. Run GroupEZSetup.exe.
4. When asked, tell the setup program which directory name to
use to store the program and data files.
5. When installed, the program can be started from the GroupEZ
icon on the desktop or the GroupEZ Program selection in the
Start Menu.
Under rare circumstances, you may need to adjust two settings in
your CONFIG.SYS file, in the event they are not set high enough.
To do so, find the CONFIG.SYS file, usually on the root directory of
your hard disk.
Using a text editor like Notepad, add or edit the following lines to
be at least:
FILES=40
BUFFERS=20
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4. REGISTERING YOUR PROGRAM AND UPGRADES
When you enter the program the first time, you will be asked for a
User ID and a Registration Password. These must be received from
KangaGold Software prior to using the program. The Registration
Password determines which version of the software you are running.
After you enter the User ID and Registration Password the first time,
click the Process Password button. You will not be asked for this
information in the future.
You should also fill out and return the Registration Form included as
Appendix B of this manual. This assures prompt technical support in
the future, as well as notification of all upgrades and fixes.
Note that, if you have not received a Registration Password, you can
use the software in Trial Run mode. To enter in Trial Run mode, click
the Trial Run button. This mode allows you to create one program
with up to ten participants for testing purposes.
If you wish to upgrade from your current version to a newer version as
released, follow the instructions that come with that upgrade.
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If you wish to upgrade to a version that has greater capabilities, such
as from Lite to Professional or from Professional to Network Pro, you
must first “unregister” your current version. To unregister, go to the
Start Menu, choose the GroupEZ Program Group, then the Unregister
Icon.
HINT: You must have exited from GroupEZ prior to running the
Unregister program.
Next, restart GroupEZ and enter the new Login ID and Registration
Password when requested.
5. WARRANTIES BY KANGA INVESTMENTS
Kanga Investments warrants the discs on which the software is
recorded to be free from defects and faulty workmanship under
normal use for a period of 90 days after the date of original purchase.
If during this 90 day period a defect in the discs should occur, the
discs may be returned for replacement without charge, provided that
you have previously completed the registration form enclosed as
Appendix B and returned it to Kanga Investments. After 90 days, all
defective discs can be replaced for a handling fee of $10.00 per set.
Your sole remedy in the event of a defective disc is replacement as
provided above.
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED ABOVE FOR THE MEDIA, KANGA
INVESTMENTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE SOFTWARE, ITS
MERCHANTABILITY, OR ITS FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR
PURPOSE. THE SOFTWARE IS LICENSED SOLELY ON AN “AS IS”
BASIS. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO ITS QUALITY AND
PERFORMANCE IS WITH YOU.
Kanga Investments reserves the right to make improvements in this
product as described in this manual at any time and without notice.
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GroupEZ, including this manual and the discs provided, is copyrighted
and contains proprietary material. All rights are reserved. One copy of
each of the software discs can be made for backup purposes only.
This manual may only, in whole or part, be printed, copied,
photocopied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any electronic or
other machine readable form for the use of the purchaser. Any other
reproduction may only be made with prior consent, in writing, from
Kanga Investments. Willful violations of the Copyright Law of the
United States of America can result in civil damages plus criminal
penalties.
6. TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Kanga Investments will provide 45 days of free technical support, via
Email, from the day a Registration Password is purchased.
For technical support beyond 45 days or support via phone or Email,
Kanga Investments offers Annual Support Subscriptions which may
be purchased at the current prevailing rates.
For users who desire to have Kanga Investments perform the
installation and provide on-site training, this can be arranged on a
custom quote basis.
The fastest way to reach our customer service representatives with
questions, comments, or technical questions is via Email at
[email protected]
Defective disks should be returned to:
Kanga Investments
11600 Normandale Road
Bloomington, MN 55437
Every effort has been made to prevent program bugs and errors, but
every possible scenario could not be tested. In addition, the software
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contains Windows calls and not all combinations of hardware and
operating system on the market act the same way.
If you find an error, please note any details and send a note to us via
Email. The more details you report, the more likely that we can find
and debug the problem.
The software has been tested using a variety of printers. To date, the
infrequent problems encountered have involved printer drivers. If you
encounter printing problems, you should verify that you are using the
latest Windows print driver for that model. Generally, the drivers on
the Microsoft web site work better than those provided by the printer
manufacturer.
Kanga Investments will answer all bug reports with a determination of
what the problem was and a notation of the update version that
includes the fix.
7. OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM
GroupEZ is designed to help you manage groups. Key components
include:
• Module to record information about the group and its leader,
including destination, types of activities included, air itineraries, and
room blocks.
• Information about each individual participant, including specific
itinerary, specific activities, special requests, credit card
information, and emergency information.
• Up to 6 customizable fields for each participant.
• Individual printed itineraries for each participant.
• 12 specific stock reports and 1 totally customizable report to
manage every aspect of your program.
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• All reports can be printed to printer or to file (for manual editing or
Email purposes).
• Multiple styles of stock address labels and name badges.
• Modules to import and export comma delimited records for
communication with other programs.
• Report listing all open programs in system.
• Automatic activities which can be applied to every participant.
8. GETTING STARTED
The first time you enter GroupEZ, you will be given the choice to
register the program or use it in Trial Run mode. If you have
purchased your Registration Password, see Section 4 of this manual
and complete the one-time registration process.
If you are testing the program in Trial Run mode, click the Trial Run
button to get to the main screen. In Trial Run mode, the software
allows you to create one Group Travel Program with up to ten
participants. All other functions of the program, such as creating
activities for the group and building air itineraries for the participants
run without limitation in the Trail Run mode.
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When you enter GroupEZ, you’ll see the main screen:
The first time you enter the program, you will want to set the Master
Parameters. These parameters are used in reports to identify the
person managing the groups, as well as to provide information that is
printed on all reports.
To go to the Master Parameters, click the Update User Parameters
button on the Main Screen. This will take you to this screen:
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Enter the proper data for each field.
HINT: You can use the Tab key to move easily from one field to the
next when editing. This is true throughout GroupEZ and should be
practiced as it will save time in completing data entry.
The Name and Address Information is used as headings on reports.
The Itinerary Message (up to 60 characters) is printed at the bottom
on page 1 of all Individual Participant Itineraries.
It is designed for general information that applies to all group travel
programs and is targeted to each individual participant in the program.
It can be used for such purposes as:
• Who to contact if itinerary changes are necessary
• Wishing the participant a safe and good trip
• General information about credit cards and baggage
• Travel hints
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The Program Message (5 lines, up to 60 characters per line) is for
more detailed, but general, information targeted to the Group Leader
of all group travel programs. It appears as “General Notes” on the
Program Master Report (see Section 11) and can be used for such
purposes as:
• Separate addresses for payments or other purposes.
• Hours of operation.
• General terms and deadlines for payments.
When all data is edited, click the SAVE AND CLOSE button to return
to the Main Screen.
These parameters can be reviewed and/or edited whenever desired in
the future.
9. CREATE NEW GROUP TRAVEL PROGRAM
The first thing you will need to do from the main screen is create a
new group.
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From the main screen, click the Create New Group Travel Program
button. A pop-up will appear at the lower left, asking you to assign a
6-digit Program Code for the program.
The code must be unique and can only be 6 characters. It can include
both letters and numbers. Note that the program automatically
converts all letters to upper case.
HINT: Use a code that is easy to remember for this program. If you
forget a code, you can always look up a listing of all open
programs by clicking the List Group Travel Programs (Screen)
button.
Once you have entered a 6-digit code, click the OK button to enter the
program. Clicking this button takes you to the Program Information
screen. The one shown below is already completed, but when you
first create a new program all fields are blank. As always, use the Tab
key to move from field to field.
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Note that the Program Information is actually stored on four screens,
each accessed by tabs at the bottom. Enter the proper data for each
field on each screen.
Program: This screen is used to record client address and
telephone information, as well as an overview the the specific
program.
The Program Manager field is already filled in, using the Contact
Name from the User Parameters file. Although this can be edited in
single-user versions of GroupEZ, only the network version (see
Section 19) has a file of Account Managers that can be accessed
to determine the Program Manager for this program.
The Arrives and Returns dates are for general reporting and do not
limit participants from booking outside the general group dates.
The Rooms Held and Estimated People are also for general
reporting. Specific room blocks for specific nights are determined
using the UPDATE ROOM BLOCK feature.
The Program Hotel Note is a general note to the hotel that can be
used for such purposes as identifying the group leader or key
executive.
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Room Types: This screen allows you to define the types of rooms
you will book for the group. You can define up to 10 types of
rooms. Each room type label can be up to 20 characters long.
HINT: You may want to record staff rooms as a separate
type of room, especially if the group rate is different for the
staff rooms.
When deciding how many types of rooms to create, ask yourself
how you want the hotel to understand which room to use for which
participant.
User Labels: In addition to the standard fields for each participant,
you can define up to 6 custom fields. Each label can be up to 20
characters long. Plan your labels for the types of fields:
• Fields #1 and #2 are 60 characters long.
• Fields #3 and #4 are 20 characters long.
• Field #5 is a date field.
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• Field #6 is a numeric field up to 12 digits with no decimals
allowed.
These user fields can be used for anything you desire and later
reported using the Custom Reports feature. Examples of common
uses are to record passport numbers, driver’s license information,
birth and anniversary dates, children’s names (staying in same
room), meal preferences for a specific banquet, etc.
Leader Message: This screen allows you to input up to 6 lines, 60
characters per line, of text that is specific to this program and
appears on the Program Master report. As such, it is typically only
seen by the group’s leader or coordinator.
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Use this screen to input specific program notes like:
• Payment terms
• Off-hours phone numbers
Once you have created a program, you can exit the Program
Information screen at any time (click SAVE/CLOSE) and all
information entered will be saved.
10. OPEN GROUP TRAVEL PROGRAM
You can enter a specific program created earlier using the Open
Group Travel Program button on the main screen. As always,
clicking this button will prompt you to enter a 6-digit program code,
then click OK.
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This returns you to the Program Information screen.
At this time, you can edit any information previously entered for this
program.
In addition, there are seven buttons at the bottom of the Program
Information screen:
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UPDATE ROOM BLOCK: This takes you to a screen that allows
you to block rooms, by night and by type. It also shows how
many rooms have currently been booked into the block. See
Section 11.
ACTIVITIES: This takes you to a screen that allows you to create
and edit activities for the group. Later, individual participants can
be booked into those activities. See Section 12.
AUTOMATICS: Clicking this button adds all “automatic activities to
each participant in the program. See Section 13.
REPORTS: This takes you to a screen that shows all of the reports
you can print. Reports can be printed to a printer or to a file. In
addition, the Reports Screen includes a custom report
generator, a label generator, and an import/export module. See
Section 17.
INDIVIDUALS: This takes you to a screen that allows you to add
and edit individual participants in a program. See Section 15.
SAVE/CLOSE: This button returns you to the program’s main
screen.
AIR ITINERARY MASTERS: This takes you to a screen on which
you can build air itineraries that might be used by multiple
members of the group. See Section 14.
(Note that you can only build air itinerary masters if the Air
Itinerary Masters checkbox is checked so that this button is
visible.)
11. UPDATE ROOM BLOCK
The Rooms on Hold screen shows the room descriptions created on
the Room Types tab of the Program Information screen.
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For each room description, the screen shows the Room Block Held
and Rooms Booked by participants, for each night.
As a user, you determine which nights to block, including extra days
and the front and trailing end of the program. You can create new
room nights by clicking the NEW button, then entering a date. You
can then enter the number of rooms to block for each room type.
Clicking the Prev and Next buttons moves the date backwards and
forward through the all the nights held.
You can edit the room block, but not the rooms booked. The rooms
booked are determined by individual participant bookings.
The Rooms on Hold screen is a critical tool to ensuring that the right
number of the right type of room are blocked for each night of the
program. A detailed report of the results by night is available in the
Reports section.
When done, click SAVE AND CLOSE to return to the Program
Information screen..
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12. ACTIVITIES
Use this screen to create and edit the various activities and tours you
can offer to members of the group.
A new activity is created by clicking the NEW button. For each
activity, enter a Date for the activity, an Activity title (up to 60
characters), and a Subcode.
Use the Subcode to indicate a time of day (might even be a “from”
and “to” time), the vendor, or perhaps the location of the activity.
HINT: Try making the first digit of the activity code a number
representing the day of the trip. Then assign letters to the second
digit that keeps the activities in chronological order from morning
to evening. In this way, the activities will print in chronological
order on the participant’s itinerary.
It’s important to provide a good description. You have 5 lines of 60
characters each. The description is included on many reports.
There is also a Check if Automatic checkbox. Many activities will not
be automatic… and must individually be added to each participant
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desired. Automatic activities can be added to every participant in the
progam (see Section 13).
Use the Check if Automatic feature to add more activities to each
participant’s itinerary. For instance, if everyone is invited to a welcome
cocktail party, make that party an automatic activity. Other
possibilities are group meal functions, morning meeting sessions, and
other required functions.
See Section 15 to see how to book these activities for individual
participants.
13. AUTOMATICS
Clicking the Automatics button adds the current database of
Automatic Activities to every participant. When you click the button,
this message appears:
Make sure you want to add the automatic activities. The system will
then add each activity to each participant, taking care not to add an
activity more than once.
Because this all happens in the background, the following is displayed
on completion:
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14. AIR ITINERARIES
Use this screen to create and edit air itineraries that will be used by
participants in the group.
Create a new itinerary by clicking the NEW button. Each itinerary is
one-way… either a “Departing on Trip” itinerary or a “Returning from
Trip” itinerary.
HINT: Legs can be created for other modes of transportation than
air… for instance, to an island destination by boat… or a transfer
by bus, etc.
It’s important to note the number of legs. If an itinerary has more than
4 legs, it must be divided into two separate itineraries.
For each leg, enter the date, the airline and flight, and time and city
code information.
The program will remember the last leg of the arrival itinerary and first
leg of the departure itinerary for any participant to which one is
assigned… and use those times on the Arrival and Departure reports.
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Each time a user leaves the screen that allows them to edit air
itineraries, all individual participant records that use the edited
itineraries will be updated.
HINT: Always leave this screen and all screens using the CLOSE
button to assure that all edits are saved.
See Section 15 to see how to book these air itineraries for individual
participants.
15. INDIVIDUALS
Clicking the Individuals button takes you to the Participant screen,
which has three tabs and several buttons that appear on all three
tabs.
HINT: When entering the first participant for a new group,
only the NEW button shows on the screen. This tells you
that the group has no individual participants yet.
The top and bottom sections of each tab are identical. The top section
shows the Name and Participant # of the participant and includes
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buttons to add, find, and move back and forth. The bottom section
includes buttons to book activities (and edit the list of bookings), to
print an itinerary for this participant, to clear fields, and to delete
participants.
Top Section: To create a new participant, click the NEW button.
Note that much of the information from the previously displayed
participant is retained. This makes it easier to add new participants
when (for instance) the company or the address remains the same.
HINT: When adding a number of new records, organize them
to maximize the advantage of retaining information from
one participant to the next.
As a new record is created, the system assigns a Participant #,
starting at 00001 and incrementing sequentially for each new
participant.
HINT: An easy way to assign roommates is to use the
numeric user-defined field and cross-reference by
Participant #.
Another field contains the 6 character (all upper case) Last Name
Finder. To find a particular participant, enter the first few letters of
that person’s last name and click the GO key. If there are multiple
records that fit the entry in the Last Name Finder, use the Next and
Prev buttons to move ahead or back until you find the exact
record. All records are displayed in alphabetical order.
Note that changing a person’s last name automatically updates the
Last Name Finder.
Bottom Section: The bottom section has the following buttons:
Book Activities: This button brings a pop-up screen that is
used to book or delete activities for this participant from the
inventory of activities created for this program. See Section
16 for details on using this feature.
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Print Itinerary: This button prints a complete itinerary for this
participant only. (If the participant has been deleted from the
program, the itinerary can still be printed, but the user is
marked as DELETED.)
Clear Fields: This button will clear all editable fields.
Delete Record: This button deletes the participant from the
database as an active participant. The participant can later
be undeleted. When deleted, the room and people count is
changed to zero and all air itineraries and activites are
deleted. All other fields are left as is, in case the participant is
later rebooked. Before eliminating, the user is asked to
confirm:
Save ‘n’ Close: This button returns the user to the Program
Information screen.
General: This tab contains name and address information, as well
as emergency contact. It is also the screen to book the number of
rooms and people, as well as the Room Type (a number from 1 to
10 correlating with the types defined for the group).
HINT: The Program Information Report (see Section 17)
shows the list of Room Types. It’s useful to print this report
when the program is first set up to have available when
assigning Room Types to individual participants.
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All fields are are free-form, except telephone numbers and dates. A
few notes to consider:
• The Badge Name is created by the Last Name and First Name
entries, but can subsequently be edited. However, if the First
Name or Last Name is later edited, the Badge Name may need
to be re-edited too.
• Usually, the Rooms With field should not be used to enter
people already entered as other participants. If a rooming list is
needed, it is better to match up participants using a User
Defined field, then create a custom report that matches the
roommate reference.
• Reports do not use an extra line for Country if it is blank or
contains “USA”
• If a participant has multiple rooms and they are different Room
Types, you must create two separate records.
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Flights/CC: This tab contains the air and credit card information for
the participant. It also contains 4 special buttons.
The SELECT ARRIVAL ITINERARY and SELECT DEPARTURE
ITINERARY buttons provide a pop-up that allows you to select the
proper itinerary for this participant.
If you use the Air Itineraries, the date, airline, flight #, and time will
automatically be filled in. Otherwise, fill these in on this page to
assure Arrival and Departure reports.
Note that only the last four digits of a credit card number will be
printed on any reports.
Special: This tab displays six user-defined fields (labels are
assigned on the User Labels tab of Program Information) and two
PRIVATE NOTES buttons.
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Two user-defined fields allow freeform entry of up to 60 characters,
two allow entry of up to 30 characters, one is a date field, and the
last is a 10-digit numeric field.
ADD PRIVATE NOTES and READ PRIVATE NOTES allow you to
create and later review freeform notes about the participant. Each
note is date marked.
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16. BOOKING ACTIVITIES
A key component of GroupEZ is the ability to add specific
activities to an individual participant’s data file. Clicking the
BOOK ACTIVITIES button on the Participant screen
generates a pop-up.
If the pop-up does not list any activities (as above), it means
no activities have yet been booked for this participant. To
book an activity, click SHOW ACTIVITIES.
This will generate the screen shown below, with a listing of all
activities that are possible to book for this group. Use the
mouse to scroll through the list of possible activities and
highlight one to select that activity. Click ADD to book the
activity or CLOSE ACTIVITIES to close the screen without
making a selection.
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Let’s assume 3G, Golf on 11/13/03 was chosen. Once the
activity is booked, the pop-up will appear as shown below.
HINT: Make separate activities for each date an activity is
offered. This way, the participant can see all activities
booked.
After a number of activities have been booked, the PREV and NEXT
buttons can be used to review the bookings. If an activity needs to be
deleted, use the DELETE key. It can always be rebooked later.
There is a Notes field for each activity booked. Use it to add remarks
specific to that participant’s booking.
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17. BOOKING AIR ITINERARIES
On the Flights/CC tab of the Participant screen, the SELECT
ARRIVAL ITINERARY and SELECT DEPARTURE ITINERARY
buttons provide a pop-up that allows you to select the proper
itinerary for this participant.
If an itinerary has already been selected, it will show on the
Booking Air Itineraries pop-up. Use the PREV and NEXT buttons to
review multiple booked itineraries. Use the DELETE button to
eliminate an itinerary and the CLOSE button to close the Booking
pop-up.
The SHOW AIR ITINERARIES button will display possible
itineraries to select.
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From the possible itineraries, use the mouse to select the itinerary
desired for the participant, then click the ADD button. To close the
selection window without adding an itinerary, click the CLOSE AIR
ITINERARIES button.
The CUSTOM ARRIVAL ITINERARY and CUSTOM DEPARTURE
ITINERARY buttons allow the user to create and book an air
itinerary in one operation. This is useful when certain members of
the program are not following the booked air block.
Clicking these buttons brings up a screen that allows the user to
build the itinerary in a fashion similar to when normal air itineraries
are built.
Clicking the SAVE AND CLOSE button saves the itinerary and
applies it to the participant.
HINT: Use itinerary codes near the end of the alphabet for
these one-user itineraries. Then, they will be at the end of
the scrollable list when future participants are using the
Booking Air Itineraries pop-up.
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18. REPORTS
The reports module supports all printers for which the user has a
Windows printer driver.
The reports are best suited for printing on a laser printer or other
printer that accepts proportional fonts. If you have questions or need a
Windows printer driver, consult with the company who manufactured
your printer or with the company that manufactured your operating
system (probably Microsoft). They will supply you with the current
drivers.
As an alternative to displaying/printing the Current Card Report, most
reports can be printed to a text file and stored on disk, for later
formatting and printing using a word processing program. When you
select to do this, you are asked to name the text file.
When you choose List Participant, One Activity, a pop-up asks you for
the 2-digit Activity Code for the activity you desire.
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Enter the correct Activity Code, then click GO to proceed with the
report.
When you choose to print the Alphabetical Master for Air, Hotel, and
Activities, you are asked if you want to include your Private Notes
(see Section 15).
Click Yes or No as appropriate.
For all reports which offer the choice to print to printer or print to file,
you will see the following:
Click Yes to print to printer, click No to print to file.
If you decide to print to file, you will see a pop-up asking you to name
the file and assign a directory location.
HINT: If you are running multiple programs with the software, you
may want to include the 6-digit Trip Code as part of the file name
or else create a separate folder for all reports on this program.
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This is a standard Windows pop-up screen and is used to assign a
directory to Save In and a File Name. Do not try to change the Save
As Type. Later, use your word processing program to open the text
file and format it as you desire. Then save the report in a format
supported by that software.
HINT: You will probably be sending your reports to several
vendors who may or may not have the same word processing
software as you are using. In fact, some may be in other countries.
Saving the files as RTF (Rich Text Format) files usually ensures
universal compatibility.
The software generates the following reports:
Program Info with Rooms, Air, and Activities: This is a master
report. Section 1 of the report includes the information found in the
Program Information section. Section 2 shows the room block and
bookings by night and by type of room. This section is essential for
assuring that additional rooms and cancellations are handled
promptly and within the terms of any contracts. Section 3 is a list
(with details) of all air itineraries created for the program. Section 4
is a list (with details) of all activities created for the program. This
report is very useful to speed up the process of adding and editing
participants in the program.
Room Pickup Report Only: This report only includes Sections 1
and 2 from above.
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Available Activities Listing Only: This report only includes
Sections 1 and 4 from above.
Name-Address-Phone Listing: This report provides a name and
address listing for each participant in the program, including
DELETED participants.
Alphabetical Master Hotel/Air/Activities: This report provides all
the essential information for each participant in the program. It is
very useful for the hotel to assign rooms and for the program
manager to use as a reference to all critical information.
Master by Booking Date: This report provides the same
information as the Alphabetical Master Hotel/Air/Activities report for
each participant in the program. By entering a range of booking
dates, it allows only a portion of the total number of participants to
be listed.
List Participants by Air Itinerary: This report shows the
participants to include for each air itinerary. It is very useful for
adding names to a group block of air space.
List Air Itinerary by Participant: Shows the entire air itinerary
(with frequent flyer number and special requests) for each
participant (in alphabetical order).
List Participant, All Activities: This report shows the participants
in each activity. They are listed alphabetically, with a total for each
activity.
List Participant, One Activity: This report shows the participants
in a user-specified activity.
List All Arrivals by Time: This report shows all arrivals by date,
time, and flight. It is very useful if you are having participants met
at the airport for transfer to a hotel.
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List All Departures by Time: This report shows all departures at
the end of the program by date, time, and flight. It is very useful if
you are having participants transferred to the airport.
Complete Participant Itineraries – All Participants: This sends a
complete itinerary for each participant, listing all key details for the
participant. It is typically printed right before the program departs,
for mailing to each participant.
Deleted/Rebooked Report: This lists each participant who has
been deleted and each participant who has been rebooked, with
totals for each category.
Design and Print Custom Reports: This button sends you to the
Custom Report Designer.
Simply check the fields you want to include, normally up to a width
of 122 characters. The report can be generated alphabetically or
using the entries in the User-defined Numeric field.
Several of the field widths can be edited (there are maximum and
minimum widths enforced) to allow more fields to be included in a
report. For example, if one of the User-Defined fields is used for
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All rights reserved.
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Social Security number, you can change the field width on the
report to 13 (2 spaces wider than the 11 spaces needed for the
Social Security number).
You can design a report wider than 122 columns, but a warning is
issued that the report will be too wide for normal 8-1/2 x 11 paper.
It recommends printing the report to a file for later use in a word
processing program. If you print to the printer instead of a file, the
fields will be truncated.
Note that custom report parameters cannot be saved.
Labels: This button sends you to the Label Designer. You can use
it to generate three different types of labels and two types of
address labels, for all participants in the program.
These labels can only be sent to the printer, not to a text file.
Export Participants to Comma-Delimited File: This will export all
participants in the program to a file with the name selected using a
standard Windows dialog box, such as ABCDEF_export.txt This file
can be stored in any directory desired..
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Note that exporting the file will automatically overwrite a previous
export.
Once these files are created, they can be opened and/or imported
into a variety of formats including spreadsheets, word processing
tables, database files, etc. Common uses are as input to custom
label programs or for creating custom items like names on golf
shirts or other awards.
HINT: Excel sometimes converts the Arrival and Departure
sort dates as exponential numbers. Make sure when
converting Text-to-Columns to define these fields as Text.
Other dates are converted by Excel to YYYYMMDD format.
For the convenience of users, Appendix C lists the file format of the
Participant database.
Import Participants from Comma-Delimited File: This will import
participants from a file and directory selected by the user. The file
must be comma delimited and must have entries in the order used
by this program’s participant databases, including the air and
activity bookings files. Entries longer than the field width in the
Participant database will be truncated.
This feature is frequently used as a timesaver when a large group
is being created from a database that already exists in another
format. It can be used to import the key name, address, and phone
information prior to adding features unique to this program.
For the convenience of users, Appendix C lists the file format of the
Participant database, the Air Bookings database, and the Activity
Bookings database.
The program only enters those individuals whose records show the
proper 6-digit Program Code in the first field.
HINT: If you are building a large Excel spreadsheet with
hundreds of program participants and some of them have
already been entered into GroupEZ, simply delete the
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Program Code from those records you don’t want imported
again.
The user also receives an error message if the user attempts to
enter air or activity booking codes not currently set up. The codes
must first be created in GroupEZ.
A sample Import Template is included on the CD-ROM delivered
with the program. Fields must be entered in that order for importing
to work correctly.
19. FILE MAINTENANCE
This option on the Main Menu screen allows the user to delete
completed programs from the system. It is also used to reinitialize
the system if necessary.
Click the File Maintenance button to open the File Maintenance
screen.
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All rights reserved.
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To enter the Maintenance area, the user must supply the correct
password provided with the software and click GO. If you lose your
password, contact Kanga Gold Software technical support at
[email protected].
Once the correct password is provided, the user has the following
maintenance choices:
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All rights reserved.
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Reindex all Files: Use this to rebuild your data files in the event of
a system crash that causes the program not to work. (This can
happen if power is lost while using the program or for other
reasons. Usually, the data is not lost, only the index pointers. The
rebuild will re-create the pointers.)
Delete Group Travel Program: After selecting this choice, the
user will be asked for the 6-digit Program Code, then asked to
continue or cancel the operation. If a program is deleted, it cannot
be reconstructed, so make sure all final reports are run prior to
commencing this operation.
Backup the System: This choice should be run frequently to back
up the program’s data, as often as once a day if the program is
used on a daily basis. This will create a backup copy of all data
files to a user-selected drive and directory.
Note that the drive and directory must previously exist. DO NOT
BACKUP THE SYSTEM TO THE SAME DIRECTORY AS THE
WORKING DIRECTORY. Typically, it’s best to save your backups
to another computer or hard drive.
Restore the System: This choice should only be run when the
data files are corrupted or lost. It will restore the system to the
status as of the last backup.
20. NETWORK CONSIDERATIONS
All versions of GroupEZ can be run from a network drive. However,
GroupEZ Lite and GroupEZ Professional can only be used by a
single user at any one time. In addition, there is no practical way to
know which agent has updated records.
GroupEZ Network Professional is a fully functional networkable
program, with complete file and record protection. It allows
unlimited users to use the software seamlessly at any one time.
GroupEZ Version 2.22
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All rights reserved.
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The network version also contains a database of Account
Managers that are not used by the non-network versions (those
versions assume that the Contact identified in the User Parameters
is the only account manager who can be assigned as the Program
Manager.)
If you have purchased the network version of the software, your
Main Screen has an additional button, the Add-Edit Account
Managers button. For security reasons, this can only be accessed
using the Registration Password supplied with GroupEZ.
Click the Add-Edit Account Managers button to add new account
managers or edit existing ones.
21. HELP
Note the Help icon
included on every screen.
This takes you to GroupEZ Help, a context sensitive Help system.
GroupEZ Version 2.22
Copyright 2003, 2004 Kanga Investments
All rights reserved.
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APPENDIX A. UPDATE NOTES
Each version of this manual includes the history of previous
versions and updates. That way, if you’re upgrading from a
previous version, you can quickly see the features that are new to
your version.
RELEASE OF VERSION 1.0, dated September 15, 1991:
• Original DOS-based version.
RELEASE OF VERSION 1.2, dated October 20, 1993:
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Added Novell Netware
networking capability.
RELEASE OF VERSION 2.0 PROfessional, dated November 1,
2002:
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Convert program to work
under all Windows environments, Windows 98 and forward.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Add ability to show complete
airline itineraries.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Add ability to personalize
acitivities to individual participant.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Add ability to create custom
reports.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Add ability to save reports to
file for Emailing.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Add ability to apply
“automatic” activities to all participants.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Add fields for emergency
contacts, credit card info, and frequent flyeer info.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Add user-defined fields for
participant records.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Create GroupEZ Lite as
economical alternative for one-group-at-a-time users.
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• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Enable users to backup and
restore data files automatically.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Add security password for all
file maintenance operations.
RELEASE OF VERSION 2.1 PROfessional, dated November 15,
2003:
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Import function enhanced to
allow importing of activity and air bookings at the same time
as individuals. Also allows user to select file to import and
location of file. Template added to show users structure of
Excel files to import. Program Code on imported records
must agree with Program Code of GroupEZ master.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Additional messages added to
File Maintenance section to show completion of tasks. More
warnings added for Program Deletion and File Backup and
Restore.
RELEASE OF VERSION 2.2 PROfessional, dated January 15,
2004:
• PROGRAM FIX: Fix error in user-designed custom report to
show proper “rooms with” entry.
• PROGRAM FIX: Fix error in editing participant’s air itinerary
later after entering the original participant itinerary earlier.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Added report that allows user
to show new bookings within a range of booking dates.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Added message to show
when export function is completed.
GroupEZ Version 2.22
Copyright 2003, 2004 Kanga Investments
All rights reserved.
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RELEASE OF VERSION 2.21 PROfessional, dated September 1,
2004:
• PROGRAM FIX: Add Unregister option to Start Menu
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Air itineraries automatically
updated for individual participants when itinerary is edited.
• PROGRAM FIX: New air itinerary can be added to individuals
without reopening trip from main screen.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Show database file structure
for the Air Bookings and Activity Bookings in the manual.
• PROGRAM FIX: Fix potential problem with network user
error on closing a program.
RELEASE OF VERSION 2.22 PROfessional, dated October 18,
2004:
• PROGRAM FIX: Add make sure rooms and people are
always updated on main program screen without having to
exit and return to screen.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Participants can be deleted
from program and later rebooked.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Report listing deleted
participants and rebooked participants.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Program now keeps track of
most recent update date.
• PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT: Reports screen reformatted to
two screens, one for standard reports and one for special
tasks.
GroupEZ Version 2.22
Copyright 2003, 2004 Kanga Investments
All rights reserved.
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APPENDIX B: REGISTRATION
Okay, we’ll be honest. You’ve already registered in order to get the
Registration Password. But this way, we make sure we have all the
contact information correct. That’s why we ask you to fill out this form.
First of all, it gets you on our mailing list... and we promise never to sell
the list! But occasionally, we will let you know about refinements and new
versions of GroupEZ. Not a lot of junk mail, just a little.
Second, if we or any user happens to find a bug, we guarantee prompt
attention to fixing the bug… and getting the fix to every user before it
becomes a problem.
So take 30 seconds and fill out the registration form below - we’ve timed
it - it won’t take any longer!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Yes, I am a registered owner of GroupEZ!
Name ________________________________ Tele # ____________
Company ______________________________Fax # ____________
Address ____________________________ Email ______________
____________________________
City ____________________________ State ____ Zip __________
Date of Purchase ________________
Mail or FAX to: Kanga Investments
11600 Normandale Rd.
GroupEZ, Version 2.22
Bloomington, MN 55437
FAX 1-952-888-1539
APPENDIX C:
GroupEZ Version 2.22
Copyright 2003, 2004 Kanga Investments
All rights reserved.
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PARTICIPANT FILE
------------------------------------------------------------------------Field Field Description
Type
Length
1 TRIP CODE
CHARACTER
6
2 MEMBER NAME FINDER
CHARACTER
6
3 PARTICIPANT NUMBER
NUMERIC
5 (must be unique)
4 LAST NAME
CHARACTER
15
5 FIRST NAME
CHARACTER
20
6 COMPANY
CHARACTER
30
7 BADGE NAME
CHARACTER
30
8 CARE OF
CHARACTER
30
9 STREET
CHARACTER
25
10 CITY
CHARACTER
15
11 STATE
CHARACTER
2
12 ZIP
CHARACTER
10
13 COUNTRY
CHARACTER
15
14 WORK PHONE
CHARACTER
12 (nnn-nnn-nnnn)
15 HOME PHONE
CHARACTER
12 (nnn-nnn-nnnn)
16 EMAIL
CHARACTER
30
17 BOOK DATE
DATE
8 (created by system)
18 LAST UPDATE
DATE
8 (created by system)
19 UPDATE BY
CHARACTER
10 (created by system)
20 FREQUENT FLYER AIRLINE
CHARACTER
2
21 FREQUENT FLYER NUMBER
CHARACTER
15
22 ARRIVAL DATE
DATE
8
23 ARRIVAL AIRLINE
CHARACTER
2
24 ARRIVAL FLIGHT
CHARACTER
4
25 ARRIVAL TIME
CHARACTER
8 (format is HH:MM AM)
26 ARRIVAL SORT
CHARACTER
12 (created by system)
27 RETURN DATE
DATE
8
28 RETURN AIRLINE
CHARACTER
2
29 RETURN FLIGHT
CHARACTER
4
30 RETURN TIME
CHARACTER
8 (format is HH:MM AM)
31 RETURN SORT
CHARACTER
12 (created by system)
32 AIR REQUEST
CHARACTER
60
33 EMERGENCY CONTACT
CHARACTER
30
34 EMERGENCY PHONE
CHARACTER
12 (nnn-nnn-nnnn)
35 NUMBER OF ROOMS
NUMERIC
4
36 ROOM TYPE
NUMERIC
2 (1 to 10)
37 SMOKING OR NOT (Y/N)
LOGICAL
1
38 NUMBER OF PEOPLE
NUMERIC
4
39 OTHERS IN ROOM
CHARACTER
40
40 CREDIT CARD
CHARACTER
2
41 CREDIT CARD NUMBER
CHARACTER
20
42 CREDIT CARD EXPIRES
CHARACTER
5 (format is MM/YY)
43 NAME ON CREDIT CARD
CHARACTER
30
44 HOME CITY
CHARACTER
15
45 NEW FLAG
CHARACTER
1 (created by system)
46 UPDATE FLAG
CHARACTER
1 (created by system)
47 HOTEL NOTES
CHARACTER
60
48 BIRTH DATE
DATE
8
49 USER FIELD 1
CHARACTER
60
50 USER FIELD 2
CHARACTER
60
51 USER FIELD 3
CHARACTER
30
52 USER FIELD 4
CHARACTER
30
53 USER DATE FIELD
DATE
8
54 USER NUMERIC FIELD
NUMERIC
12
55 IMEMO
MEMO
10 (created by system)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------** Total **
880
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All rights reserved.
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AIR BOOKINGS FILE
------------------------------------------------------------------------Field Field Description
Type
Length
1 TRIP CODE
CHARACTER
6
2 PARTICIPANT NUMBER
NUMERIC
5 (unique link)
3 ARRIVAL OR DEPARTURE
CHARACTER
1 = A or D
4 AIR CODE
CHARACTER
2 (must be unique)
5 AIR DESCRIPTION
CHARACTER
30
------------------------------------------------------------------------** Total **
44
ACTIVITY BOOKINGS FILE
------------------------------------------------------------------------Field Field Description
Type
Length
1 TRIP CODE
CHARACTER
6
2 PARTICIPANT NUMBER
NUMERIC
5 (unique link)
3 ACTIVITY CODE
CHARACTER
2 (must be unique)
4 ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION
CHARACTER
60
------------------------------------------------------------------------** Total **
73
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Copyright 2003, 2004 Kanga Investments
All rights reserved.
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